| | County Economic Status, FY 2016 | Three-Year Average Unemployment Rate, 2011–2013 | Per Capita Market Income, 2013 | Poverty Rate, 2009–2013 | Three-Year Avg. Unemp. Rate, Percent of U.S. Avg., 2011–2013 | Per Capita Market Income, Percent of U.S. Average, 2013 | PCMI, Percent of U.S. Avg., Inversed, 2013 | Poverty Rate, Percent of U.S. Average, 2009–2013 | Composite Index Value, FY 2016 | Index Value Rank (of 3,110 counties in U.S., 1 is the best), FY 2016 | Quartile (1 is the best), FY 2016 |
|
| United States | - | 8.1% | $37,127 | 15.4% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian Region | - | 8.2% | $27,979 | 17.0% | 100.5% | 75.4% | 132.7% | 110.8% | - | - | - |
| North Carolina | - | 9.2% | $31,081 | 17.5% | 112.7% | 83.7% | 119.5% | 113.8% | - | - | - |
| Appalachian North Carolina | - | 9.1% | $26,152 | 18.8% | 111.6% | 70.4% | 142.0% | 122.6% | - | - | - |
|
| County |
| Alexander | Transitional | 9.6% | $25,657 | 17.2% | 117.5% | 69.1% | 144.7% | 111.6% | 124.6 | 2,072 | 3 |
| Alleghany | At-Risk | 10.7% | $22,715 | 19.8% | 131.1% | 61.2% | 163.4% | 129.1% | 141.2 | 2,504 | 4 |
| Ashe | At-Risk | 11.2% | $20,984 | 21.1% | 137.4% | 56.5% | 176.9% | 137.1% | 150.5 | 2,687 | 4 |
| Avery | At-Risk | 10.5% | $21,863 | 18.0% | 129.8% | 58.9% | 169.8% | 117.4% | 139.0 | 2,447 | 4 |
| Buncombe | Transitional | 7.1% | $29,174 | 17.1% | 87.9% | 78.6% | 127.3% | 111.0% | 108.7 | 1,544 | 2 |
| Burke | At-Risk | 10.6% | $24,384 | 20.0% | 130.0% | 65.7% | 152.3% | 130.0% | 137.4 | 2,399 | 4 |
| Caldwell | At-Risk | 11.0% | $20,204 | 19.5% | 135.3% | 54.4% | 183.8% | 126.8% | 148.6 | 2,646 | 4 |
| Cherokee | Distressed | 12.2% | $16,342 | 17.9% | 150.5% | 44.0% | 227.2% | 116.4% | 164.7 | 2,882 | 4 |
| Clay | At-Risk | 9.2% | $19,089 | 24.3% | 113.7% | 51.4% | 194.5% | 157.8% | 155.4 | 2,764 | 4 |
| Davie | Transitional | 8.7% | $30,502 | 13.4% | 106.6% | 82.2% | 121.7% | 86.9% | 105.1 | 1,379 | 2 |
| Forsyth | Transitional | 8.7% | $32,305 | 18.6% | 106.6% | 87.0% | 114.9% | 120.9% | 114.1 | 1,714 | 3 |
| Graham | Distressed | 15.7% | $17,083 | 21.1% | 193.1% | 46.0% | 217.3% | 137.2% | 182.5 | 3,013 | 4 |
| Haywood | Transitional | 8.4% | $24,348 | 16.6% | 103.9% | 65.6% | 152.5% | 108.1% | 121.5 | 1,960 | 3 |
| Henderson | Transitional | 7.0% | $29,152 | 14.1% | 86.2% | 78.5% | 127.4% | 91.6% | 101.7 | 1,265 | 2 |
| Jackson | At-Risk | 8.6% | $23,145 | 21.8% | 106.2% | 62.3% | 160.4% | 141.6% | 136.1 | 2,366 | 4 |
| Macon | At-Risk | 10.2% | $22,209 | 21.3% | 125.1% | 59.8% | 167.2% | 138.3% | 143.5 | 2,544 | 4 |
| Madison | Transitional | 8.5% | $20,517 | 17.3% | 104.9% | 55.3% | 181.0% | 112.5% | 132.8 | 2,289 | 3 |
| McDowell | At-Risk | 10.9% | $19,244 | 21.9% | 133.7% | 51.8% | 192.9% | 142.8% | 156.5 | 2,780 | 4 |
| Mitchell | At-Risk | 11.3% | $18,324 | 18.3% | 138.4% | 49.4% | 202.6% | 119.4% | 153.5 | 2,741 | 4 |
| Polk | Transitional | 7.2% | $31,533 | 16.7% | 88.8% | 84.9% | 117.7% | 108.4% | 105.0 | 1,377 | 2 |
| Rutherford | Distressed | 12.8% | $18,701 | 21.5% | 157.6% | 50.4% | 198.5% | 139.9% | 165.4 | 2,891 | 4 |
| Stokes | Transitional | 8.6% | $24,833 | 15.8% | 105.3% | 66.9% | 149.5% | 103.0% | 119.3 | 1,895 | 3 |
| Surry | At-Risk | 9.9% | $22,906 | 19.9% | 121.3% | 61.7% | 162.1% | 129.3% | 137.5 | 2,405 | 4 |
| Swain | Distressed | 13.1% | $19,793 | 27.2% | 161.7% | 53.3% | 187.6% | 177.2% | 175.5 | 2,982 | 4 |
| Transylvania | Transitional | 9.2% | $22,697 | 14.3% | 112.9% | 61.1% | 163.6% | 92.9% | 123.1 | 2,019 | 3 |
| Watauga | At-Risk | 8.0% | $25,564 | 31.3% | 98.7% | 68.9% | 145.2% | 203.4% | 149.1 | 2,663 | 4 |
| Wilkes | At-Risk | 10.7% | $24,528 | 22.7% | 131.6% | 66.1% | 151.4% | 148.0% | 143.7 | 2,548 | 4 |
| Yadkin | Transitional | 8.5% | $24,908 | 18.5% | 104.6% | 67.1% | 149.1% | 120.3% | 124.6 | 2,073 | 3 |
| Yancey | At-Risk | 10.7% | $17,731 | 20.1% | 131.3% | 47.8% | 209.4% | 130.5% | 157.1 | 2,788 | 4 |
